A Fire's Shadow
Past Reflections Konoha was in a bustle of activity, banners proudly in display, showers of fireworks igniting the night sky. The roaring cheers and thunderous beat of the townsfolk as they gathered together, singing, dancing and enjoying the eve. It was the night of the Seventh Hokage's coronation, and it was a glorious event. Her citizens had put weeks worth of planning into this, motivating her people to not only welcome their new leader but to surge forward to a brighter future. And it paid off. Decorations strewn about, music dancing in the air, it was a time for celebration, remembrance, and joy. For the first time in years since the Fourth War, Konoha could rejoice in their prosperity. Hidden in the shadows, gazing upon the light but never standing in its radiance is a man whose efforts have finally born fruit. Never staying in the village for more than a few weeks at most, perhaps even a month he spent the majority of his time fighting countless wars shrouded in secrecy and darkness. Afterall this time, he thought, was it worth it? He does not have an answer but there is one thing he does know. He has no regrets. It was only three days ago that he had finally returned to Konoha, only to discover that his esteemed leader had chosen to step down and name his successor. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor he kept his presence scarce until such an opportune time to present himself. But as he stood outside her quarters in the Hokage Tower he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creep along his spine. The last time they had met, she was trying to kill him. ---''Flashback''--- "You betrayed us Akihiko." Her voice did not betray her emotion, but then Kasuga was a very complicated woman he thought. The soft patter of rain filled the void. There was nothing he could say to her, for this to work, she had to believe he betrayed them." "You betrayed Konoha." Fire ignited all around her evaporating the rain before it even hit her. He could sense her turmoil, the furious maelstrom of rage demanding retribution. He thought that seeing a close comrade like this might have filled him with uncertainty. "You betrayed me." The last part was spoken with the barest hints of emotion. The edges of his lips twitched to a barely perceptible smirk. Of course he would derive some enjoyment out of this, but then that was why the two of them worked so well with another. Two monsters disguised as humans, of course they would be partnered together. Monsters who were shinobi and shinobi who followed the orders of their Kage. "Konoha is sick, it is dying Kasuga. It is foolish to believe otherwise. Times have changed, the era of shinobi is-," the ground beneath her exploded before he could even finish. In one moment she had already crossed the distance her hand bathed in rolling flame, descending upon him with the fury of a meteor, and the world erupted into chaos. No more words were spoken, she was always like that. He barely escaped with his life. But for his plan to work, it was a necessary evil. ---''End Flashback''--- At the time she wasn't cleared to the specifics of his mission. Ordinarily that would sour most relationships but in business of spies, today's enemy may very well be tomorrow's friend. Now he understood his former leaders cryptic note a bit more. However powerful the Sixth Hokage had been he was still a malicious prankster at heart. There's no time like the present they say. he thought morbidly, and with that small comfort he crossed the threshold and entered. The very moment that he had entered into the office of Konoha's leader, the first thing that would've struck him — before anything his other five senses would be able to perceive — an intense and instantaneous scorching feeling would bathe over his body. And just as quickly as it began, it faded away; there, sitting in the spot designated only for that person reigned as Konoha's strongest, was Kasuga herself. A figure of elegance and beauty like that of the flames themselves that she was known in such high regard for conjuring. In the same vein, merely being in such a presence would wash over any individual with a powerful sense of existence that could not be overlooked. She was not named Hokage for anything less than such might; strength evident in everything she did, even in her mere glances. Whether she meant to or not, the very feel of her chakra was associated with the warmth of fire and simply standing in her presence was enough for such a claim to be made true. It was the same for Lord First and Lord Second; they were known for the intense pressure that others could feel from their chakra. Even Kasuga's predecessor, the White Demon, was one of such stature. And it was to be expected. Hokage, the first shinobi to make their way out of the darkness known as the warring states era and to lead their flock from the dreadful carnage. Lady Kasuga, without a doubt, was worthy of such a name and made it an important task to keep face with her flock. Her dark crimson eyes were set upon Akihiko as the man entered the room and she was not at a loss of words for him; such was characteristic of the exalted Lady Hokage. "I was wondering how long you were going to stand outside my office." she had softly spoken, initiating the conversation. The familiar rush of chakra washed over him, engulfing him in bittersweet nostalgia. Her wrath had always been palpable, but now it was like an inferno coiling around him like a predator ready to pounce the moment he showed an ounce of fear. He smiled despite himself. "The last time I was in this room, it was with your predecessor." He stepped forward, taking her comment as an invitation, and stood before the esteemed Kage in all her glory. "Imagine my surprise when I find him sandwiched between two ladies of the court." He gives her a pointed look. "On that very desk." He added. "Given their enthusiasm and positions I concluded that it was not their first time either. As it turned out, it was not uncommon for him to receive such contracts." It was clear that Akihiko was no stranger to such a dark sense of humor, likely intentionally bringing up one of the key aspects of her mentor that Kasuga herself found most deplorable about the silver-haired man. The mere mention of his indecent actions brought up memories of her training sessions; images she would have opted to forget. But Akihiko bringing up such a thing was an obvious attempt at inciting a greater fire from Kasuga than her normal persona emitted; if it was, he would be disappointed. She was not a wild flame that would jump to devour all within its reach in its burning embers. Genuine elegance, that was her defining quality, and taunts were not enough to spark anything of the type. Regardless, she was not without hostility toward this man; a wrath born well before he even dared to utter a word. "...Lord Sixth had his personal tastes, as did all Hokage that came before him and myself, and I do not condemn him for those. As I recall, you turned a blind eye to such nefariousness, even when such acts happened right before your eyes." she had answered. Whether Akihiko meant it seriously or as an attempt at "breaking the ice" with humor, Kasuga was always one to present herself as though she was in a perpetual state of seriousness. "As I recall you did the same as well." He said. "When he was not trying to coerce you into them of course." He adds pleasantly. The mirth drops from his face so suddenly it was if it was never there. What replaces them is an iron mask lacking any emotion. "There's no need for pretenses between us, you know I can read your mind." He let that fact hang in the air for a moment, and then, as if it had never vanished, the mirth is back again. This strange dichotomy isn't new to Kasuga, it was as close to the real Akihiko as anyone could get. For a man who could read the minds of everyone around him, he absolutely detested the masks people wore, because he could so easily see them. At one time, Kasuga could let her guard down around the man, not out of any sense of attraction mind you, but in knowing a kindred spirit. But those days have long since passed and neither of them are the same people they once were. Feeling her smoldering gaze on him he continued. "I imagine you have many questions for me, and I will answer them in due time. But first, congratulations is in order." He bows mockingly. "May your enemies tremble in fear Lord Hokage." Finishing the bow he walks comfortably towards the side of the wall where the framed pictures of previous Kage hang, looking at them varying degree's of interest. "Tell me, how have you been Kasuga-dono?" Kasuga's gaze followed the man's subtle steps toward the wall where the portraits hung. Despite a lack of interest in what this man had to say, Kasuga was not like her mentor, who openly ignored people he had no interest in; rather, she was surprisingly attentive to every word he spoke, as if trying to deduce some special meaning behind each statement. Her response, in the end, was a mere closing of her intense gaze. "It's as you said... Akihiko." her tone emphasizing the utterance of his name, as if to declare her detest for his nature. "You can read my mind with ease. Perhaps it is that you find some sense of pleasure in having people go along with your games... or perhaps your mind-reading skills are just blown out of proportion." she remarked with a subtle musing as her eyes opened and the gaze returned as she watched him looking upon the past Hokage. "I suppose you could say I have been doing quite well. A promotion to Hokage is, after all... such a joyous occasion. But I'd much rather hear what you have been up to." she finished. He chuckled at the insinuation of her words, before turning to face her. "That's good, I'm glad to hear that." He said smiling. "You worked hard. Earned the respect and admiration of your peers, and rallied Konoha's forces in several pivotal battles. Now, the village is entering an era of peace not seen since before the War. You must be proud." Kasuga's eye cringed at the very term of peace. She knew that believing that one was safe after the passing of a storm was foolish, for in the wake of such a storm, another could easily whip itself up; and so it was that such a thing became more and more likely with each passing day. It was not her fault for not being able to enjoy the notion of peace, for however long its fleeting embrace would exist; it was simply how she was trained. The Shiroyasha was a mentor that favored draconian methods, and above all, he opted for the classical training methods employed in the warring states era. A student would find themselves living with their master, and at any time, for whatever reason, the master would go on the attack and the student would be forced to defend themselves against a barrage of attacks that demonstrated true mastery of the combat disciplines. Bruises, gashes, dislocation, even broken bones; these were all commonplace and Kasuga experienced them so often that they were second nature. It was a true miracle that after such punishing training, she still managed to retain the beautiful form of a young maiden. Her eyes glanced toward Akihiko with the same emotionless look that was forged in the process of such training. After all, emotions were akin to dropping salt on an open wound. They made the pain last longer. They made injuries feel worse than they were. Time wasted by wondering if the master truly hated her and attacked her merely out of some twisted sense of joy in harming her. They were distracting and made it harder to anticipate the enemy's attack; even if it was their own master initiating the assault. Allowing oneself to experience emotion during hardships, daily bouts of pain born from the Shiroyasha's mentorship, made everything a true living hell. She would have to cast emotion aside, it would be the only way. Human beings do all that they can to survive and they evolve depending on their situations in order to maintain their existence. Numbing herself to the pain was her only solace in such a position. But it was all for the greater good. She rose from the flames, a tempered katana of magnificence, with a coldness like pure steel. "Surely you realize, Akihiko..." she had began to respond. "The flames of war have yet to be extinguished. After all, is this not the reason why you've come here?" Like any time she became lost in thought, Kasuga's wandered back to her training. So much of it defined what she had become. What parts of herself she had to discard simply to survive. At times it seems as if the experience had left her broken, beaten and lost. A haunted gaze would grace her features peering behind a cold and uncaring mask. But whatever sacrifices she made to get through that crucible, she acquired strength beyond measure. Akihiko was known for his casual disregard of another's secrets, and history. Often going so far as to openly flaunt it in their face for all the world to see. But he never did that to Kasuga. Even now with her mind in a maelstrom of evocative thought he granted her that moment of silence and quiet contemplation. "I returned here for many reasons." He said, and suddenly looking very tired. Gone was the amusement and playful banter, replaced with a somber expression. He glided across her desk like a phantom, stopping just at the edge of her personal space. "Seeing that you have yet to raise a hand against me, can I assume that you've read the reports our dearly beloved Lord Sixth left for you?" He indicates to the scattered documents littered across her desk. "Do you hate me for what I did?" Kasuga once more closed her eyes, choosing to address him while breaking visual contact. "Hatred is a strong word. Lord Sixth, rather... Master Seireitou, chose me specifically because I fit his ideals more so than others." she spoke before opening her crimson eyes and re-establishing eye contact. "More so than even you. Perhaps you find that part a tad bittersweet. Regardless..." Kasuga gently placed her hand upon the array of folders scattered over her desk's surface, turning her head ever so slightly to catch the sight of them while continuing to speak directly toward the man. "I take it that your words imply that you have already familiarized yourself with the content of these reports." Akihiko smiles knowingly. "Of course. I wrote them." He took her silence as an indication to continue. "Nearly every major breakthrough in intelligence that has come through this office was the result of my efforts." He began. The light-heartedness of his tone returning without a beat. "There is a reason Lord Sixth has such faith in me. Did you not ever wonder why he put the two of us together on so many missions?" The question lingered in the air, with all the implications it asked. "A pervert he was, but a fool he was not. He knew this day would come. Given his penchant for awkward situations, I imagine his hand is at work for this particular meeting. The only question left is what do you intend to do?" Kasuga's eyes narrowed, though in an attempt to form a mocking facial expression, rather than full-on seriousness. "And here I thought Lord Sixth did that because you needed experience being around women." she had mused. Serious as she was, she was not above using playful remarks in order to accomplish her goals. She was, after all, a person devoted to efficiency; even if tomfoolery would be needed to gain said results. "You should be more familiar with protocol then, Akihiko, given all of your efforts for... the greater good. It is a tenet of classical etiquette for the subordinate to relay the information of their reports to their general verbally. Shall I take that as being you breaking away from tradition?" Akihiko quirks an eyebrow. "Are you really going to bring up protocol now?" He said. "Kasuga-dono, you of all people should know that we have moved far beyond simple tradition. Regardless, I am quite sure that my familiarization with etiquette far exceeds your own. Did you not know? I am your premiere spymaster." He added smiling. "So here we are Lord Seventh." He said practically mocking her title. Yet another quirk of the infamous Akihiko. Whenever he referred to others by their rank in such a mocking manner it was usually an indication that was ready to talk business. Kasuga was well aware of the tiresome game he often played to amuse himself when making idle chit-chat. "I've heard rumors, that our esteemed Hokage has an agenda for our village. One that goes beyond just protecting our borders. Would you care to illuminate them for me?" He asked. Methods Kasuga took her time in answering Akihiko this time. Whether she was contemplating actually filling him in to her plans or simply didn't have an answer to give him, this was not clear, but whatever the case, she had remained silent for a good couple of seconds. The Hokage relaxed in her chair and briefly stared upwards at the ceiling of her office before letting out a sigh. "This world is dying, Akihiko. Slowly it dies while people play the fool and mistaken it for times of peace. Shinobi can only survive in warfare. Without some enemy to face, without some evil to vanquish, without something to assign missions for... a shinobi has no other purpose than to die like a miserable dog. And when shinobi die, the shinobi villages follow, and the land decays until there can be no more life. Lord Sixth knew that better than any of us. And he did what he did to secure his position as Lord Hokage for the greater good." Her breathing skipped a step as she returned to contemplation for that instant. "Yes... for the greater good." she repeated softly, as if to reaffirm that point to herself, before slowly standing from her seat and turning toward the large windows that overlooked the entirety of her domain; the village hidden in the leaves. "You and I are among the select few that know of the darkness surrounding the perverted Lord Sixth and the methods he took to accomplish his goals. And it is our duty to see his dream through to the end." It was then that Kasuga turned to look straight at the Yamanaka. "Not for Lord Sixth's sake necessarily, but so that our world can thrive." She placed her hand onto the glass as she turned to face the village from behind her window once again. "In order to ensure the continuation of warfare and the need for shinobi, we first must be at the center of everything. And in order to accomplish that, we must unify the villages under Konoha's rule." she had began to explain. For a moment there was only silence. Akihiko's mind was a whirlwind of activity, his face marked by a brief expression of astonishment before the mask slipped back into place. Unification? Was that even --- possible? The very notion of it was patently absurd, in the entire history of the shinobi nations there has never been a single dominant village with all unders rallying to its banner. No, that's not entirely. The last war forced all shinobi to put aside their differences and unify. But that was more of a temporary truce. The possibilities though. His eyes searched Kasuga's and for the first time that meeting he opened up his mind to truly see if this was what she felt. He almost recoiled reflexively, her determination was like a fire that shone with all the glory of a sun. The sheer strength and magnitude of her ambition dwarfing all other petty thoughts. This was not born out of some simple desire of wanting, this was a drive where all else meant absolute oblivion. There was no turning, no compromise, nothing but the unification of all villages. He visibly staggered under the weight and intensity of her dream, felt hot pinpricks across his skin, and the moisture in his throat dry. He quickly broke the connection appraising her accordingly. For the first time since they began talking he gave her an expression that he was immensely pleased by what he had found. This time when he bowed, it was not out of any sense of mockery. "Lord Hokage, if I may be so bold, how do you plan to accomplish this? The other nations are all seeing a rise in their economy, a strengthening of their borders, and the happiness of its citizens. What is your plan?" Kasuga turned to face Akihiko with a subtle glance. No sarcasm? No trickery? This was different from what Akihiko presented himself earlier in this meeting. Was this sincerity? After all the smoke and illusions, the masks upon masks worn by this man of the Yamanaka tribe, was he actually demonstrating a genuine interest? She wasn't sure what to make of this. It was a side of Akihiko even she, who had prior history with the man, had rarely ever seen. Still, she chose not to question it; she would need all the support possible in her endeavors. "Steps will have to be taken, of course. Even if all the walls were down and they were begging for relief from their economic troubles, laying siege to the other four nations can not happen in one fell swoop." She then faced downwards toward the desk littered with folders. "Suna and Konoha are the only villages to have formed a close friendship in the past, courtesy of Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara of the Desert, outside of the fourth great war. Their absence has left some ambiguity between the two nations' relationship, but even so, forming an alliance with them is the most wise option. Our friendship with them in the past has led to them becoming familiar with us. With our protocol, with our methods, with our shinobi... Even though it is reciprocal, it would be foolish to attempt any sort of aggressive military action against an enemy so familiar with us." she explained, breathing out for a moment before raising her head to face him yet again; pulling out a piece of paper from one of the folders, which was shown to be a map of the five great nations. "But even so, even with our history, we can not form an alliance without both giving them reason to side with us and making sure they have no reason to betray us until the final stages of our plans come to fruition." Kasuga placed her finger against where the Land of Water was depicted on this map; more specifically, where the village hidden in the mist, Kirigakure, was shown to be. "Putting Suna aside, we are left with three other nations to deal with first. The Land of Water would be the wisest choice. Never mind the fact that acquiring them at the start will render any form of naval enemy advantage moot, but with their fertile land in tow, it will give us the greatest bargaining chip in creating a concrete alliance with Suna." she continued. Akihiko nods in understanding, but his mind is whirling with possibility. "Yes, we will need to acquire the Land of Waters soon. See here?" He says indicating to the country sitting between Fire Country and Sand Country. "The Land of Rivers has seen a boon in their economy thanks to their recent trade agreements with the Land of Rain. This was partially due to the replacement of River's Daimyo. Who happens to be a subordinate of Izaya." He the name with such venom, one would think it were personal. "That mongrel charmed his way into a ruling seat of River Country, and then placed his own puppet to oversee its operation. We will need the resources of the Land of Water, for afterwards River Country will be next. They are in strategic point of contention that cannot ignore forever." Kasuga shut her eyes briefly in contemplation for what methods would be needed in this situation. The Land of Water was not given the title of "a great nation" for no reason. It had nothing to do with the size of their land but rather the strength that resided within it. In this world, only strength was recognized. And as such, mounting any sort of full-scale assault against a land of such power would be far too risky a gamble so early in the game; especially without the backing of another country. Even so, attempting a maneuver to seize land, even if it were easy enough to successfully lay siege to the Land of Rivers, would undoubtedly alert the Land of Water and the other nations. Ergo, the problem is made apparent in the approach needed to make the next move. In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. Perhaps even... nefarious methods. Her eyes turned toward the Land of Wind as she crossed her arms underneath her ample bosom. "We must seek a way that makes Konoha appear as though our hands are clean in the matter... at least until we manage to seize an appropriate amount of the assets. As I've said, dealing with the Land of Wind in an aggressive manner would be foolish, given how familiar they are with the Land of Fire via years of allied support between the nations in the past. No matter how much the other has changed, the foundation has remained the same. But... the same can be said for us. And our familiarity with the Land of Wind can prove to be an advantage." she had explained, releasing her crossed arms stance and returning her hand to the map. Her finger slowly traced a line from the Land of Rivers to the Land of Wind. "Convincing the Land of Rivers that Suna has plans to mount an offensive, in order to take their land and resources, would cause them to both fear for their prosperity but would also perhaps play to their arrogance as well... Given their alliance with Amegakure and therefore, the feeling of superiority associated with that, they may believe themselves able to take Suna's might. Therefore, what we need is to pit the Land of Rivers to arms against Suna. We subtlety lend our support to the Land of Rivers initially, under guise of false identities. Given our knowledge of the Land of Wind, due to past familiarity, granting the Land of Rivers state secrets that would leave Suna vulnerable to assault would be child's play. And it will be from there that Suna will be pressured into seeking assistance. That is where we come in. We then use that opportunity to betray the Land of Rivers and grant support to Suna openly. Not only does the Land of Rivers lose the support they were getting from us, via a secretive benefactor, but will now have to deal with a dual front assault. Even with Ame, they will not last long against the both of our nations. All the while... the other nations will see this as simply... the kind-hearted Konoha trying so hard to maintain peace and order among the nations. Only we will know the truth hidden within the truth." she concluded. She realized how wicked these methods of hers were, even without contemplating them. Suna, the one nation that Konoha had trusted for so long, being used as a mere pawn. So innocent they are, bearing no supposed plans of war, and yet, being dragged into a conflict under false pretenses. Why, the very idea is the definition of evil itself. But Kasuga did not question the morals behind it. Her grand vision was for the greater good. Unification was all that mattered. She had long ago learned under her mentor that in order to achieve her dreams for the greater good, morality was the only evil that needed doing away with. "It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on." she had reaffirmed to herself. For those bound by morals, the justification of one's actions was central to appeasing the associated guilt with their actions. Akihiko had always found such an idea fascinating, considering the reality that shinobi live in. Ninja were merchants of death, assassins, saboteurs, they were weapons wielded by those with the resources to buy their services. Morals should not factor into that train of thought. More often than not however, they did. To see such rationalization within the mind of his leader was quite frankly surprising. Her ruthlessness was well known, but perhaps that was why she was so feared. To feel guilt and know hesitance but cast them aside anyways? Who was truly the monster here? "If I may, Lord Seventh." He said, interrupting her thoughts. "I know of several... enterprising individuals who share no love for the new regime in the Land of Rivers. I could arrange for suitable diversion of River's military to its borders. Then we need only to convince Suna of a possible attack and while my contact in River Country whispers the same into the ears of his Daimyo. Tensions escalate, and then we have open conflict. I will also arrange for Ame support, there are many in the upper circle who fear Izaya, and would be willing to aid us in seeing him fall. They can within the next forty-eight hours begin pushing bills to see the Land of Rivers become an official territory of Ame, along with other... leaked evidence suggesting a hand in coordinating ground forces in River to destabilize them making them ripe for colonization. Leaving us free to uphold our obligations with Suna." Kasuga's eyes diverted from Akihiko down toward the folders, picking one of them up and opening it to reveal its contents; several sheets of papers detailing certain specifics with photographs of various individuals of interest. "Can I trust you, Akihiko?" It was a simple question. And perhaps one too pointless for her to ask a man such as this who lived and breathed deception as his way of life. But it was one she had to have asked. Perhaps not simply because of who Akihiko was, but that her mentor had drilled such fear and darkness into her core that trust was simply not a luxury she was capable of doing any longer. "Lord Sixth taught me to never trust... but to always be close and listen. As the saying goes, keep enemies closer than friends. For our operations to be successful, I will need the council of individuals such as yourself, but also..." the Hokage began explaining. It was then that she snapped the folder shut in her right hand. "I need soldiers who can follow orders. Only if my orders are followed to the letter can we succeed. I can not afford any wild cards." she continued. The chakra filling the air from Kasuga's being was subtle but strong; elegant and firm, a man of Akihiko's skill would not miss such a presence. The heat in this small tiny room would slowly climb upwards, as though the sun was bearing down on these two, and seeking to render them both onto ashes. A powerful burning sensation that would widen its jaw and consume any who dared to even budge in this situation. She was a monster, inside and out. "Is that... to be understood, Akihiko?" she spoke with a slight pause mid-sentence. Akihiko just looked at her with an unreadable expression. "You look tired Kasuga-dono. You've had a busy day, why not get some rest and we can reconvene tomorrow. I'll begin making preparations but we can discuss the specifics of my mission." He said meticulously filing the documents scattered across her desk. He saw rather than felt the flood of killing intent that filled the room, the density of her power manifesting like some figment out of a nightmarish hell. Crimson red flames and the unmistakable feeling of a smoldering death weighed on his shoulders like a physical force. Rather than be intimidated like any of her other subordinates had the good mind to do, he simply gave her a knowing smile, even has the ground cracked beneath his feet from the oppressive weight, even as the water evaporated from his skin and his body screamed at the rapidly rising heat. "One day a scorpion and a frog meet by the bank of a river." He began. "The scorpion asks the frog to ferry him across the river. But the frog is afraid of being stung, however the scorpion reassures the frog that if it stung him, they would both drown. Satisfied the frog carries the scorpion but midway the scorpion stings the frog. The frog exclaims, why, now you will surely drown!" Kasuga was familiar with the tale, though originally written in Suna it had spread across the nations for its dark morality. "Ahh, you would be correct Kasuga-dono, but this ending is slightly different. For the scorpion replied: 'But little frog, I can swim.'" It took a moment but the change in the meaning of the tale blossomed into realization of its wisdom. Rather than being a lesson for the frog, it was a lesson for the scorpion. Never reveal your true nature. Rather than tell her outright he found a way of subtlety telling her his answer. She should could never place her trust in him completely. But she could trust his nature, a nature he contrarily revealed to her. If this was an honest answer, it was the closest she was ever going to get. Seemingly satisfied Akihiko bowed gracefully and disappeared like a phantom in the shadows leaving Kasuga to her thoughts. Category:Seireitou Category:Fanon Story